Sillage of Dawn
by Jean Ri
Summary: Red-haired criminals and the pinkette medic-nin. After a battle between their life and death, they have an unexpected meeting at Sunagakure Hidden Prison. Sakura frowned at the fact that he isn't really dead yet. / SasoSaku,semi-Canon.
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

The pink-haired girl stepped down the dark and gloomy tunnel in the Sunagakure Hidden Jail-a place where the death-sentenced criminals or ex-Missing Nin were being prisoned. The lifeless aura stroke there, in a strange way. Although being surrounded by the two ANBUs on her side, Sakura still could feel a bit chillness going through her spine.

That redhead criminal—however, isn't really dead as Sakura and Lady Chiyo had predicted before. Just like their deathly battle time ago, he was really powerful and hard to be taken down—although his wooden body had been crushed into pieces. Although the only one beating organ that remained on him—also the reminder that he was still somewhat human—had been stabbed into a bloody mess, he was unexpectedly still able to survive.

Maybe when he was being left on that dark cave along with his tons of puppets army, it seemed like he was only dying. _Hadn't died yet._

Temari told the candy-haired girl yesterday, that the Squad of ANBU which was sent to retrieve the Missing Nin body and checked the ruins of the battlefield had found that there was still a weak—almost unnoticed—beating on his cracked body. _He hadn't died yet._ Only dying.

And there was no wooden body. But a human one, perfectly alive. With _real skin_, eyeball, muscle, and unruly real reddish hair. Not a wooden or artificial one.

Sakura can't stand her overwhelming shock when hearing this fact.

The Sunagakure Jounin Council's reaction to this news was different. The elders wanted the S-Ranked Missing Nin to be executed right away when he was arrived at Sunagakure. Meanwhile, Gaara wished to hold on a while and interrogate him—before executing the criminal afterwards. However—Kankuro had a different opinion, a very contradicted one to the rest. He viewed him as a valuable Sunagakure asset that can be purposeful to rise the Sunagakure Puppet Brigade's glory like those years ago, which had been forgotten this days. There was lack of a really capable and qualified Master of this art in this village, to pass down and teach the puppetry technique to the younger generation. The slightly eccentric brother of the Kazekage seemed to be enthuthiastic to this fact, more to his siblings' shock.

After walking for about half an hour, they stopped on the end of the tunnel. An old and thick metallic door was there, stood gracefully in front of them.

The ANBU who was stood on the left side of Sakura made a quick yet complicated hand seal, and the metallic doors was opened with an echoed noise-revealing a dull, lightless cell. They walked inside slowly. Sakura could felt the drop of cold sweat flew down her forehead.

When the cell door was being opened, she could saw the sight of a humid, dark cell. A blurred figure—almost unseen among the darkness—sat with his back on the bars. The lifeless, cold atmosphere was there—surrounding the dim room.

"If you come to take me to that blasted interrogate session, it was useless. Whatever antics you're doing, I won't answer," said the figure flatly-his tone was flat as ever. Sakura was startled. _That voice.._

* * *

**Sillage of Dawn  
**

.

_A SasoSaku (maybe..) fanfiction_

Genre: Drama/Hurt/Comfort

Rate: T

Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto

Warning: Modified canon.

* * *

"If you come to take me to that blasted interrogate session, it was useless. Whatever antics you're doing, I won't answer," said the figure flatly—his tone was flat as ever. Sakura was startled. _That voice.._

She knew the voice well, all too well. That cold voice that could made her nape of neck shivers with only a whisper. _That voice.._ there was too many awful memories in it.

"Watch your mouth, Akasuna-_san_," the ANBU hissed through gritted teeth. "We are here not to take you, but to run a check-up on your condition. A medic-nin will do that task. Kazekage-_sama_ want you to cooperate with this."

There was a silence after that. The only sound heard was the faint breath of Sakura.

"Hmm? What's going on with that red-haired brat head, being so awfully caring to my condition?" said him with a faint note of sarcasm. Sakura raised an eyebrow towards his blunt word. It seemed that whatever will be, the sharp tongue of his wasn't going to change at all.

The ANBU beside the medic-nin was trying hard to hold on their temper. "Show your respect to Kazekage_-sama_, Akasuna-_san_," he stated with venom on his voice.

The man on the corner of the room didn't respond, due to his lack of attention or he was just being lazy to give some words. "Haruno_-san_, we will keep an eye on the outside," said the ANBU, before heading outside the cell.

Sakura was left alone with one of the most feared criminal in the Shinobi World.

A unpleasant silence hanging on the air for some moment. The medic-nin was getting unsure a bit, before finally made a step towards her patient (_uhm..? patient?_) that was going to be checked, with a medicine box on her grip. The girl's hand reached out to the redhead's shoulder, gave a soft touch to inform him about her presence.

"Who is it?"

Sakura gulped slowly. "Uhm, it's me, the medic that was going to have a check on your body condition. Your cooperation is needed..uhm, Aka—"

"Sasori. Call me Sasori." ordered him with a strange, raspy voice.

"Uhm..your cooperation is needed, Sasori." It was undoubted that the phrase of that name felt strange on her tongue. "Please lie down."

There was no respond. The pink-haired girl frowned, her inner was screaming impatiently on the back side of her head. Without a warning, suddenly the man in front of her turned his head—

—the bright leaf-colored iris that was Sakura's met with the dull, hazel one.

An uninvited silence was falling again around the two.

* * *

An uninvited silence was falling again around the two.

Sakura found herself was catching her breath.

"_You..?"_ the owner of the hazel iris whispered in a raspy voice, an eyebrow raised. "So let me guess. You're here to poison me for a revenge, brat?"

The unsure pinkette tried to hold an amused smile that was going to cross her lips when hearing his statement. Sakura's inner whispered something playful on her head, deciding to have some greeting with him.

"If yes, then what?"

"Ah, that's good." A vague smirk crossed his swollen lips. "Then, do it now. I hate waiting."

_Those familiar words. _The medic-nin managed a thin smile when hearing that. Wow, they just had a rough battle not long ago, with the intention to kill each other—and now the two of them was happened to be here safely and soundly, without bunch of kunai and satetsu flying on the air.

Fate was such a really complicated, strange irony.

"I thought you were going to kill me on the spot right when you see me," she responded with a forced chuckle—to break the ice down.

"I was going to do _that_, thanks for reminding me."

_"..WHAT?!"_ Sakura snarled, her fist suddenly clenched—ready to landed a punch at him in seconds.

"Of course I won't, stupid brat." He muttered with a bored tone, casting a belittle glance at the younger shinobi. His lips corner was raised slightly at one side, making a thin smirk. The pink-haired kunoichi let out a faint breath, feeling relieve yet still cautious at the same time.

If the red-haired criminal didn't have the intention to take revenge on her, then it was good. But that fact alone doesn't make she trusted him. She had witnessed his cunningness during their harsh battle, and of course the kunoichi can't ignore that crucial traits of him.

"Well, I don't know that you actually have some sorta sense of humor." said Sakura in a low voice.

"You better learn not to show your emotion too much, _brat_."

A vein popped slightly on the corner of the pink-haired kunoichi's forehead. "That's much better, than to be entirely emotionless like—"

She didn't continue her sentence the time she noticed that the redhead had shot a death glare on her. The pinkette bit her tongue in slight regrets.

...

After a moment of long silence, Sakura decided to finish her task as soon as possible. She leaned forward a bit, reached out the redhead's prison pajamas (it is better called as a _rag,_ actually..) and start unbuttoned it slowly. Sasori stay still on his calm facade, he didn't even flinched at all.

"Life is easier.. this way," he muttered raspily, almost unnoticed. Sakura didn't really sure of what she had heard before.

"What..?" asked Sakura in a tone full of doubt, wishing that he still have the little amount of patience to just repeat what his statement before. The dim light of chakra glowing on the kunoichi's hand, ready to do the checked-up.

There's some moment break before the redhead open his mouth to speak. A raspy voice then came, breaking the silence in the air.

"Life is easier this way...without any trace of that damned emotions. _Isn't it, brat?"_

* * *

_._

_._

_**To Be Continued..**_

_**.**_

**Notes**: Thank you so much for reading. If there's any grammatical or spelling error in this story, please tell me. English isn't my mother languange, actually. :)

Comment or critique are heartly appreciated. ^^


	2. Chapter 2: Decision

"Life is easier_..this way_," he muttered raspily, almost unnoticed. Sakura didn't really sure of what she heard before.

"What..?" asked Sakura in a tone full of doubt, wishing that he still have the little amount of patience to just repeat what his statement before. The dim light of chakra glowing on the kunoichi's hand, ready to do the checked-up.

There's some moment break before the redhead open his mouth to speak. A raspy voice then came, breaking the silence in the air.

"Life is easier this way...without any trace of that damned emotions. _Isn't it, brat?_"

* * *

**Sillage of Dawn**

**.**

_A SasoSaku (maybe..) fanfiction_

_._

Genre: Drama/Hurt/Comfort

Rate: T

Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto

.

* * *

.

"Life is easier this way...without any trace of that damned emotions. Isn't it, brat?"

So that's it. Those words—although it had deep meaning—sounds somehow just flat and cold when being spoken by Akasuna no Sasori. Sakura flinched a bit, the dimly glowing chakra on her hand sparkled slightly because of her late reaction. _This man.._

"But now you are able to feel, aren't you? Your body..isn't a puppet anymore." The pink-haired kunoichi muttered slowly, almost to herself. The pajamas' shirt that was Sasori's lied on her side, now the medic-nin's hand was busy working on his left chest to heal the almost-wet wound—where his only heart rested.

"..You're _wrong._"

Sakura was getting startled a bit, didn't expect that her whispered statement ago was heard by the man in front of her. _'Of course he hear that, you stupid. Your position is just so near with him.' _Her inner voice said mockingly on her head.

"Um..sorry, but what's wrong?" asked her doubtfully.

That was a pause. The red-haired man didn't answer it directly, therefore he was seemed to be lost in his reverie for a while—almost like he was testing the younger shinobi's patience.

"You are wrong. I do have emotions, just like any human being."

"But that time, didn't you claimed that..your heart is just the same with your body, Sasori?" asked Sakura unsure.

The redhead that was lowering his head moments before now tilted his face upward—all of sudden, causing his unruly hair moved from his forehead, revealing his dull hazel eyes. He gazed at the medic-nin with a belittle looks on those brown iris.

"Women..tends to be so fussy, aren't they," he rasped with a thin smirk.

The pinkette frowned slightly at his blunt statement in dislikes. However, she still cannot figure out what's going through his mind—considering his face that was almost as flat as a mask. If only there was any facial expression that was crossed there—even just slightly—Sakura didn't have to be this clueless.

"I have emotions, brat. Just detest either to display or use them," continued him in a cold manner.

"Why—"

"_Shut up."_ He cut in sharply, a hand almost raised.

Sakura was speechless. She decided to stay cool and hold on his patience in the end, ignoring her inner who was getting a bit mad at his rudeness. _'Come on, you're not a kids, Sakura..'_

The medic-nin's hand moved more fastly, focusing her concentration at the wound at Sasori's chest, which was still not fully recovered and kinda fleshy. _'It seems like it would takes more time to a whole recuperation.._', thought her. Her leaf-colored eyes casted a brief glance at the redhead, curious of whether he felt hurt or not. Unfortunately, that pale face still wearing flat as ever.

.

After some minutes with unpleasant silence, the pink-haired kunoichi was getting startled of what she saw.

There was something strange on Sasori's wound.

She found sand..in a considerable amount.

Sakura frowned. This was confusing. As long as she remember, the katana that was used to impale his chest isn't dirty at all, free of dust or stuff like that. _So..where did these sand come from?_

And suddenly a creepy realization stroke her mind. She flinched. _So that's it.._

* * *

.

The flaming-red-haired boy massaging his forehead for a moment, before continue to check the mounting paper document on his desk. Being a leader of a big Shinobi-Village is so tiring—the fact that he was still a teenager couldn't help. If only he could take a one free-duty-day, he would do it right away.

The voice of door knocked broke the silence on his office.

"Come in."

The door opened, and the two visitor come in.

The young Kazekage's corner of lips was moving a bit, making a thin yet sincere smile when he saw his two siblings.

"Gaara, you haven't eat your lunch yet?" ask the blonde sister firmly. There was a plate of _onigiri_ and warm _ocha_ on her hand. She put down the plate at his younger brother's messy table. Meanwhile, the darkbrown-haired older brother leaned his body forward, trying to take a peak at his sibling's work.

"Hoo..that was so diligent of my lil' brother," said him with a wide grin. Temari casted an annoyed glance at him.

"Sssh Kankuro, don't disturb him, you can look that he's so busy," muttered her in a somewhat motherly way.

"Hmm..busy? If I'm not wrong I just see him sleeping one moment when I sneak in before," replied Kankuro with a mischiveous smirk. The young Kazekage blushed—doesn't expect at all that his brief rest would get noticed. But who cares, he was just awfully tired.

Temari ignored his younger brother comment. "Gaara, you haven't touch the meal at all. Don't you dare to say that..," she gave a pause, a cold aura was surrounding her, "..you dislike my cooking?"

The red-haired boy soon picked up a piece of _onigiri_, before chewed it quickly. "It's tasty. Thank you, Temari."

She nodded, feeling satisfied—before her expression changed into a serious one. "'How was the meeting?" asked her carefully.

Gaara sipped his _ocha_ slowly, before reply in a solemn tone. "That was just..complicated. The elders wanted him to be executed right away when he arrived here, although I think it isn't the best thing to do."

"I thought that you would give your agreement just directly—considering of what he had done to you," Kankuro added. "Knowing the fact that he was being prisoned—not dying in a bloody mess causing by your _Sabaku Sousou_, that was just..amazing."

Temari frowned, as if she was thinking hardly. "I don't really agree with the elders, too. Not that I had pity on him—I would gladly crushed him with my windblow if it's possible—but we could get the information of Akatsuki out of him. What do you think, Gaara?"

The Kazekage sipped his _ocha_ slowly once more, before knocking his finger at the table almost absent-mindedly. "I agree with you, Temari. We need the crucial information. After all the things we need is fulfilled, our business with him is ended. He can be executed afterthat."

Kankuro raised his eyebrow at his younger brother's statement. Silently he disagree with that—the Kugutsu Master seemed like he was no more than an easily-manipulated pawn, can be dispatch right away when the task is finished. However, he didn't show his dislike.

"I doubt that Sasori would give in that easily," said him matter-of-factly. Temari nodded, realizing the very truth on the brown-haired boy's opinion.

"Don't worry.." replied the young Kazekage quietly. "He would open up, _whether he likes it or not._"

Whether it was reality or just Kankuro's immagination, he could hear a vague sound of sand rattling inside his younger brother's jug.

* * *

.

.

_**To Be Continued..**_

_**.**_

**Notes: **Thanks much for reading. If there's any grammatical or spelling error in this story, please tell me.

So..what do you think? :)

Comment or critique are heartly appreciated. ^^


	3. Chapter 3: It Was Torn

"Don't worry.." replied the young Kazekage quietly. "He would open up, whether he likes it or not."

Whether it was reality or just Kankuro's immagination, he could hear a vague sound of sand rattling inside his younger brother's jug.

* * *

**Sillage of Dawn**

_A SasoSaku (maybe..) fanfiction_

Genre: Drama/Hurt/Comfort

Rate: T

**Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto**

.

* * *

_These sand drops_..seems like the pinkette-medic nin could sense the source of it. She controlled her shining chakra on her palm in a certain way to pull out the sand drops slowly, and collected it into a small bowl on her hand. After making sure that there was no sand remained, she stared at the bowl on her hand with a frown.

"Sasori," whispered her, breaking the silence, "what did they do on the interogation this morning?" asked her seriously. The prisoner didn't react, but he tilted his head upward the next moment. Those somber hazel eyes scrutinized Sakura with an annoying look.

"It's not your..business," answered him. His voice was somewhat raspy and hollow.

Sakura frowned at his attitude. Yes—as a medic-nin, she was getting used in facing a stubborn patient like this, making her patient get increased at some level. She took a breath for some moment.

"My business," stated her carefully, "is to make sure of your condition, to be always healthy and well," told her with a strict tone.

"I was touched," replied him with a noticable sarcasm.

Sakura's inner was now getting mad at the redhead's antics. _'Okay..the hell with his 'cute' looks, his attitude is such a crap,'_ her inner protested. The pinkette medic-nin shook her head to regain her composure again.

"I asked for your cooperation, Sasori," said her tiredly. This prison cell was somewhat too dark, and Sakura was a bit sick with the humid smell here.

The redhead still remained silent, not giving a respond at all.

Deciding to just ignore his annoying nature this time, Sakura took out the herbal medicine from her medic-kit and a pack of cotton. She dipped the cottonball into the bowl, and started to rubbed it at Sasori's wound gently. The prisoner was still silent didn't give any reaction into this.

"_Sabaku Sou..sou._"

Sakura raised her eyebrow, making sure that the lame voice she heard before was coming from him. "Pardon me?"

"_Sabaku Sousou_..that eyebrowless brat.._sand.._" rasped him hardly. His voice sounded like it was dragged.

_'Just like I predicted before..'_ thought Sakura somberly. "Don't speak anymore, Sasori," said the pinkette medic-nin with a panic tone laced on her voice. She took out a water bottle, and gave it to him quickly.

"Water, drink it!"

The red-haired man—with his palm now covering his mouth—just stared at the bottle with an empty look. There was a glint of suspiciousness there, although very vague.

"Don't worry, it wasn't poisoned."

He catched his breath with a strange noisy voice. "Get it out of my sight..brat," he commanded hardly. _'Even in a condition like this, he was still able to act bossy,'_ commented Sakura's inner.

"No way, before you drink it," she demanded. She pushed the bottle forward to him. "Drink it, or I would force you to do that," asked her with a strict tone.

And then come a low sound, like there was a fluid dropped down.

"You..that eyebrowless brat would.." he coughed, "..get mad at you once he know that you're feeding water to me," rasped him. But Sakura just ignored his warning.

.

But when she could removed his hand forcefully from his mouth—her lime iris was now widened due to what she saw.

There was blood dripping slowly from the corner of his lips—stained his palm.

When Sakura leaned forward to getting a closer look, she recognize something nasty. There was a nasty bruises on his lips. _His upper lips was almost torn._

* * *

_._

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_**To Be Continued..**_

_**.**_

**Notes: **Thanks much for reading. If there's any grammatical or spelling error in this story, please tell me.

So..what do you think? Don't just fall silent, please. XD

.

Comment or critique are heartly appreciated. ^^


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